Katara's Fourth Child
by somethingofdreams
Summary: Some Kataang feels and Katara/Korra interactions when Korra was a little girl.
1. Chapter 1

For as long as Katara could remember she had been a motherly figure to those around her. It had been the source of sustainability within her own family and tribe but also the stem of conflict between strong willed friends such as Toph who preferred to be their own free moral agents instead of being placed under another motherly authority.

Katara sat in the middle of the lodge near a small fire that flickered ever so slightly. The warmth of the fire warmed Katara down to the bones and allowed her to finally sit back and relax after a long day's work. Many members of the White Lotus and Air Acolytes had cautioned Katara against working so hard.

"I assure you we have everything under control, you have nothing to worry about," one of the Air Acolytes said as she desperately tried to reassure Katara. "Let us take care of everything for once. You deserve a break."

Katara knew they had everything under control but sitting around and doing nothing wasn't exactly her cup of tea either. Nonetheless being pregnant with her first child kept her physical activities limited and even more so with each passing week as the due date drew near.

Despite being famous for how protective and nurturing she was, it did little to calm her fears and she looked down at her pregnant abdomen wondering what kind of a world this child would be born into. Some days Katara felt like she was a nervous wreck.

"What if I'm not a good mother? I mean, this could be the future of the airbenders, what if I screw up?"

"You don't need to worry about anything," a voice said mildly. Katara turned around to see Aang's figure fill the entrance of the room as he stepped in. "How can you be sure?" Katara said nervously.

Aang sat down next to his wife and wrapped and arm around her. "Says the woman who's been taking care of me since I came out of the iceberg all those years ago," he said with a grin.

As Katara leaned in closer to Aang her fears about the baby and everything else melted away. Her eyes fluttered shut as her head came to rest on Aang's chest.

"I think you're going to be the best mother," Aang whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Wouldn't want it any other way."


	2. Chapter 2

"Katara! Katara! Look what daddy taught me!" Big blue eyes peered over top of the table as Korra struggled to stand on her tip toes.

Katara laughed. "What did you learn, Korra?"

Korra ran around the table to where Katara was siting. She bent the water out of the nearby pot and executed a near perfect water whip.

Katara clasped her hands together. "You're coming along so well in your waterbending, Korra. You know that move took me quite a while to master," she said with a wink.

Korra's eyes widened. "Really? Who taught you?"

Katara picked the small girl up and sat her down on her lap. She wrapped her arms around Korra and began to tell the story of all her adventures. The time she found a waterbending scroll, how it almost got her and everyone else killed, their escape from dangerous pirates. Korra could hardly believe what she was hearing.

"Sounds exciting!" Korra said hardly able to contain her excitement. Katara could tell the girl longed to have an adventure of her own.

"Someday, my child, you too will have your own stories to tell."

Katara sat there and held Korra in her arms for what seemed like forever. For a moment Katara's eyes wandered to her own hands. They were weathered and wrinkled. So many adventures these hands had seen. So many times they held her three precious children. Her mind flew back to the first time she held a child of her own. It was unlike helping Gran-Gran care for a baby seal or even the times she watched over other children. This time it was hers. Her very own baby. And what made it even better was being surrounded by everyone she loved.

_Aang._

If Katara strained her ears hard enough she could almost hear his voice again and see his smiling eyes as he saw his child for the first time.

_I think you're going to be the best mother._

At that moment she felt a tug on her betrothal necklace. She looked to see Korra studying it carefully with wonder.

"Pretty necklace!" she declared.

Katara laughed. "Aang gave it to me many years ago. Took him a few times to get it just right."

"I could make a necklace like that!" Korra said with solid confidence. She sat back in Katara's lap and smiled. Katara froze. Was it just her imagination or did Korra smile not unlike the way Aang did? She even tilted her head the way that was so familiar to Katara. And Korra's eyes… _her eyes._ They were full of amusement and joy as if all of Korra's past lives were alive and well within her at that moment.

Katara gently pulled Korra close to her chest, her eyes slowly closing as the young girl fell asleep in her arms. A warmth came over Katara and she felt calm and peaceful where she sat.

Outside she could hear the wind howl ever so slightly. One gust of wind blew into the room and swirled around Korra as she slept soundly.

_I'm still here._ It whispered.

And with that Katara fell asleep with Korra in her arms.

_My fourth child, she whispered._


End file.
